diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 9031b9dd8ae190863647696e4bdca0e0e1ef7ec7..e74e5380724ca9013cb1b1978ef0cda9783e3fbf 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ test:
       - echo $KNOWN_TAGS
         # test if the caosdb registry knows our current tag
       - echo $KNOWN_TAGS | grep "$CAOSDB_TAG"
+      - time docker load < /image-cache/caosdb-pyint-testenv.tar || true
+      - time docker load < /image-cache/mariadb.tar || true
+      - time docker load < /image-cache/caosdb.tar || true
       - docker login -u indiscale -p $CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD $CI_REGISTRY
       - docker pull $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest
       - cd .docker
@@ -123,6 +126,7 @@ build-testenv:
         --file .docker/Dockerfile
         -t $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest .
       - docker push $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest
+      - docker save $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest > /image-cache/caosdb-pyint-testenv.tar
 
 cert:
   tags: [docker]